A lot of women have heard of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). If a woman is experiencing changes to her menstrual cycle, acne, hair growth, difficulty loosing weight or finding it difficult to conceive; women can often be left wondering, ‘do I have PCOS? How do I know if I have PCOS?
Clues you may have PCOS
PCOS is a condition marked by increased androgens via signs and symptoms clinically on blood tests, it is diagnosed when all other causes of hyperandrogenism have been ruled out.
Hyperandrogenism is an increase in androgens such as testosterone, which both men and women contain. High androgens often give the first clues as it if women may have PCOS. Symptoms of high androgens include;
High androgens
- acne, but also commonly occurring on the lower third of the face, back, chest or shoulders
- hirsutism, hair growth, women can experience thickening of hair or an increased growth on the arms, face, underarms, abdomen, nipples and pubic area
- hair loss, high androgens can also cause male pattern baldness where you experience hair loss around the crown of the head
- In rare cases, you can find a deepening of the voice
Some women can experience all these symptoms and someone none, but on their blood tests, you can see very high androgens.
Skin is ok hair is ok, there are other indications something may be amiss.
Period and fertility issues
PCOS is an androgen and a metabolic disorder that disrupts regular ovulation as a result women may notice things are amiss with their periods
- irregular periods or no periods at all. It can be a longer cycle 35+ days, or cycles that seem to have no rhythm whatsoever, not coming for months, then have two periods in a row only for them to stop again
- difficulty getting pregnant as a result of irregular ovulation or failure to ovulate. If a couple has been trying for 6-12months and not falling pregnant it is a good time to explore what is going on
PCOS and metabolic conditions
- difficulty losing weight
- weight around the abdomen
- skin tags
- cravings for salty and sweet
- darkening around the neck and underarms
- feeling like you get low blood sugar and fatigue after meals
PCOS is marked by insulin resistance as a result of the way your body handles and breaks down food and utilises the food for energy can be impacted. Women can find it difficult to lose weight even on very low calories and extreme exercise.
Your still unsure if it is PCOS?
If you find you are struggling with some of the above symptoms it might be time to chat with your health care practitioner about what is going on. Not all women with PCOS get all the symptoms so it can be hard at times to clearly understand what is going on hence reaching out to an expert to assess your blood results and symptoms can be so helpful.
The next step, would be to work with your health care practitioner to arrange some blood tests that can help determine if you have PCOS.
Sydney PCOS Naturopath Lindsay can hep
I get it, you are confused, you’ve been lost down the rabbit hole of Google and you are still unsure what is going on with your hormones, your skin and your weight. You may have had tests done, only to be told everything looks ok – which I hear all too frequently, and things are not ok!
By making time for an appointment you are committed to getting to the bottom of what is going on. As a PCOS Naturopath, I help you understand and interpret your blood tests, arrange any tests that have been missed, take a thorough case history and help uncover what is going on. Through the use of herbs, nutrients, diet and lifestyle modifactions, we can help bring back ovualtion, reduce your acne, ensure healthy hair growth, and a healthy weight and reduce the factors of more serious illness associated with PCOS.
